Offense Snaps Out of Its Slumber

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (AUGUST 27, 2014) - Patrick Cantwell scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th inning to cap a four-run comeback for the RoughRiders, who rallied to surpass the Corpus Christi Hooks by a 5-4 final score on Wednesday night.

Cantwell scored on an RBI groundout to first by Joey Gallo. It was Gallo's third RBI of the night. On the play, Corpus Christi first baseman Telvin Nash elected to take the ball to first instead of attempting a throw home. Cantwell scored unimpeded for Frisco's fifth unanswered run of the ballgame.

The 11th inning was not a showcase for Nash, who committed an error earlier in the frame that allowed Nomar Mazara to reach and move Cantwell down to third. Thus, the winning run was unearned for the 'Riders.

Each team's first baseman made a gaffe that led to a run for the other team. Before he was the hero of the game, Gallo made a poor decision on a grounder from Tyler Heineman in the fourth inning.

With runners on first and second and one out, Gallo attempted to throw Jonathan Meyer out at second, but the ball escaped into left field for an error and brought Teoscar Herandez in to score.

But Gallo found redemption even before his RBI groundout in extra innings. The 'Riders still lagged behind 4-3 with one out in the top of the ninth inning. Gallo squared off and squared up against left-hander Mitchell Lambson (2-1) for a solo home run to extend the game into the bottom of the ninth.

The blast was Gallo's 41st of the season and 20th with the RoughRiders. He trails Nash by one for the Texas League home run lead.

Will Lamb ushered the game into extras when he struck out Hernandez looking at a fastball with the bases loaded. The Hooks left 13 men aboard on the night and outhit the 'Riders 9-7.

In perhaps his finest outing of the season, Ryan Rodebaugh (3-0) earned his own win with a two-inning effort in overtime. Rodebaugh allowed just one base hit, tallied a strikeout and shut down the Hooks after the 'Riders reset the game.

At the outset, it was the same old song and dance for the RoughRiders, who again failed to score against the opposition's starting pitching.

On Wednesday it was Jordan Jankowski who flummoxed the Frisco offense early. The righty struck out nine batters over six innings and allowed a single base hit to Guilder Rodriguez in the fourth inning. The RoughRiders have not scored against a starting arm in 33 innings.

His counterpart for the RoughRiders, Alex "Chi Chi" Gonzalez, kept the Hooks silent until the fourth inning when Corpus Christi took a 1-0 lead on the aforementioned blunder by Gallo.

The run counted as unearned, but the Hooks would get to Chi Chi for a trio of earned marks an inning later when Brandon Meredith blasted a three-run home run to left. Gonzalez has allowed a home run in each of his last three outings after not surrendering a single long ball in his first 12 Double-A appearances.

In a 4-0 hole, the 'Riders snapped out of their offensive stupor in the seventh inning. Corpus Christi reliever Matt Heidenreich allowed two singles and a walk before Hooks' skipper Keith Bodie lifted Heidenreich for another righty, Juan Minaya.

Minaya gave a free pass to Gallo and Cantwell crossed with the first earned run for the RoughRiders in 28 innings. After a pair of strikeouts, Hanser Alberto extended his hitting streak to 11 straight with a two-run single to the opposite field and made the score 4-3 Corpus Christi. 

With the win, Frisco (77-57; 37-28) remains tied with Midland for the best record in the second half. The RoughRiders also clinch the season series over Corpus Christi and lead 17-13 versus the Hooks this season. The horsemen also move to 3-4 in extras this year.

Corpus Christi (64-71; 30-35) snaps its three-game win streak and is guaranteed to finish with a losing record in 2014.

The RoughRiders square off with the Hooks for game three in their four-game set Thursday at 7:10 p.m. Coverage begins with the Frisco RoughRiders Pregame Show at 6:45 p.m. on www.ridersbaseball.com.

Frisco returns to Dr Pepper Ballpark on Saturday, August 30 for the final three games of the 2014 regular season. For tickets to see the 'Riders in 2014, call 972-731-9200, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.ridersbaseball.com.